Our meditation courses cover the ABCs of meditation, including posture, breathing and concentration techniques, practical advice on creating your own meditation space at home and setting up your own daily meditation routine.

All classes include guided meditation exercises.

Also covered: The difference between meditating in the mind and meditating in the heart, meditation through music and mantra; the relationship between meditation and athletics; and the importance of a teacher. Also featured are live performances of meditative music.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about our meditation classes:

Q: Do I need to bring anything to the class?

A: If you can shower and change into clean, light-colored and loose-fitting clothes, that is ideal. But if you are coming straight from work, that’s okay. The most important thing is your sincere aspiration to dive deep within and discover your own inner wealth.

Q: Is seating in chairs, or on the floor?

A: At our introductory classes, seating is almost always in chairs. If you would like to sit on the floor, you are welcome to bring your own mat or cushion. Later in the series we encourage people to sit cross legged on a cushion on the floor if it does not cause any physical discomfort. The main advantage of sitting cross legged on the floor is that it helps to keep the spine straight and erect, which is very important for meditation.

Q: Is it easy to learn to meditate?

A: It depends on the individual, and the effort given. Meditation comes quite naturally to some people, while others take a while to get the hang of it. In a sense it’s a little like learning to ride a bike. (Remember when you were little, how many times did you fall off before being able to ride down the entire block?). The important thing is to keep trying, and ideally to practice meditation every day in the morning at a fixed hour. Never give up meditation after only a few attempts – to really see if meditation is meant for you we recommend practicing for at least three months.

Q: There are many different kinds of meditation. What kind do you teach?

A: We call it “heart center” meditation. We try to gradually quiet the mind and enter into the spiritual heart. In the beginning we use various techniques to help us in this process.

Q: Why is it free?

A: We offer meditation classes as a public service. Once upon a time we were searching for peace and happiness and we were fortunate enough to find it through meditation. The least we can do is to offer the same opportunity to others!

Peace and happiness are our inner wealth – they cannot be bought or sold! But to gain this inner wealth requires sincerity and consistent effort on our part. That is the only fee.

Q: But is it REALLY free?

YES! And, you will never be asked for a donation. The classes are funded through donations from members of our meditation group, as well as sales of books and CDs. None of our meditation class instructors or organizers are paid for their time, all is offered as a public service.

Q: Who is Sri Chinmoy?

A: Sri Chinmoy is our meditation teacher. There is more information about his life and philosophy here.

Q: What is the Sri Chinmoy Centre?

A: The Sri Chinmoy Centre is a collection of individuals from all walks of life and all faiths who follow the path of meditation taught by Sri Chinmoy. Through meditation, we strive to cultivate peace and harmony within ourselves. Through public service, we strive to cultivate peace and harmony in the world at large.

Q: Is this a religion?

A: Not at all. Meditation is simply a technique we use to look within. It is something every human being can learn to do, regardless of their faith. What we find once we look within differs according to the nature of each individual.

Q: Are there continuing meditation classes?
A: Our goal in offering meditation classes is to help you establish your own daily meditation practice. If you feel that our style of meditation is good for you and you would like to sincerely follow a path of meditation, then we offer continuing classes (also free of charge) where we teach more about Sri Chinmoy’s path. Information will be available at the workshop.

Q: Do you have a meditation center I can come visit?

A: We try to teach each person to establish their own personal meditation practice in the meditation center within their heart. That center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! In New York City we offer free meditation classes in both Queens and Manhattan several times a year at various venues. Please check our home page for the latest offerings.